Tacos are a welcome meal in our family any time. The grandchildren are apt to ask for tacos for their birthday meals. They can be made with a variety of ingredients and sauces and we like them all. Fish tacos have become popular lately in restaurants and at home. You can use the fish of choice. If you have that Southern favorite, cat fish, it would be delicious in tacos.

The recipe below for fish tacos uses tilapia which is easily available in supermarkets. It has a mild flavor and takes on the flavor of whatever herbs and spices are used with it.

The recipe offers an opportunity to use tomatillos if they are new to your family. Tomatillos are also called Mexican green tomatoes or jamberries. They look like small green tomatoes except they have a thin parchment-like covering. They are available in supermarkets almost year-round. To use them remove the husk and wash. Cooking enhances the tomatillos flavor, but they can be used raw in salads and salsas for a more acidic taste.

This recipe is one of few that I’ve seen which specifically calls for the use of the stems of cilantro in the recipe; the recipe also uses the leaves. Stems of some herbs are not as tasty as the leaves, but cilantro is an exception.

FISH TACOS WITH TOMATILLO SAUCE

3 garlic cloves

2 medium tomatillos, husked and rinsed

½ medium jalapeno pepper

½ cup cilantro stems

3 tablespoons canola mayonnaise, such as Hellmann’s

½ teaspoon sugar

3/8 teaspoon salt, divided

2 cups very thinly sliced red cabbage

1 tablespoon fresh lime juice

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

4 (6-ounce) tilapia fillets

¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Cooking spray

8 (6-inch) corn tortillas

¼ cup fresh cilantro leaves

Preheat broiler to high.

Arrange garlic, tomatillos, and jalapeno in a single layer on a foil-lined jelly-roll pan. Broil 3 minutes on each side or until blackened. Combine tomatillo mixture, cilantro stems, mayonnaise, sugar and 1/8 teaspoon salt in a mini food processor or blender; blend until smooth.

Working with 1 tortilla at a time, heat tortillas over medium-high heat directly on the eye of a burner for about 15 seconds on each side or until lightly charred. Arrange half of a tilapia filet in center of each tortilla; top each with ¼ cup cabbage mixture, about 1 ½ tablespoons tomatillo mixture and about 1 ½ teaspoons cilantro leaves. (Southern Living, May 2013)

Lost a recipe? Have a recipe to share? Reach Betty Slowe at bettyslowe6@gmail.com.